Labeling machine



July 4, 1950 R. J. NEWMAN ET AL LABELING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 29, 1948 04 W0. 5. FE/END July 4, 1950 J, NEWMAN ETAL 2,513,511

LABELING MACHINE Filed June 29. 1948 I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 9 253 I S1] 'lgo {0/ l I i] 1 E: KT m? 24 69 i L,/7 J1 FICSJ.

i /N VENTOES 8 6 Power J. NEWMAN L 04 wasm/n/o Patented July 4, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LABELING MACHINE Robert John Newman, Enfield, and David Sidney Friend, London, England, assignors of one-third tlgnlildward Albert Baker, Woodford, Essex, Eng- Application June 29, 1948, Serial No. 35,854 In Great Britain July 8, 1947 581,853 we have disclosed a labelling machine comprising um plates or pickers mounted for reciprocating movement and adapted first to receive adhesive thereon and then to pick-up or collect a label from a, pile, interposed between the adhesive applying means and the container, and to bring the label to a transfer position in which the label may be transferred from the gum plates or pickers to the package or container during movement of the package and label transversely of the reciprocating movement of the gum plates. The labelling machine described in the aforesaid specification by way of example was provided with means for moving the container vertically upwards between the two gum plates and against pressers and a grip pad for pressing the label on the container, and the two gum plates were pivoted for the purpose and after the container was moved above the gum plates the latter returned to their normal horizontal positions.

The machine has proved generally satisfactory but where large containers were involved difllculties were encountered in design so as to enable the container to pass through the plates to enable the latter to return to their horizontal positions.

According to the present invention the label is supported on a pair of spaced gum plates in the transfer position and is then pressed by the grip pad down between the plates on the container and by further downward movement of both label and container the label is completely removed from the gum plate, whereafter the plates are withdrawn horizontally and the container is raised against the pressers.

The gum plates therefore do not require to be pivotally mounted and a compact design of the machine becomes possible even for large containers.

A further feature of the present invention consists in providing a type holder for applying coding or other printed matter between the two gummed parts of the label, this box being mounted on the reciprocating carrier that carries the gum plates, and a vertical motion is imparted to the label box to effect printing when the gum plates are in the transfer position.

The above mentioned and other features of the invention, which features are defined in the appended claiming clauses, will now be de- 2 scribed by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section of a labelling machine made in accordance with the invention:

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the machine;

Figure 3 is a. plan view of the gum plates;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the label box assembly;

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the label box assembly;

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 6--6 on Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the label locking device shown in Figure 6; I

Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11, are front views of parts of the machine illustrating progressively different positions thereof;

Figures 12, 13 and 14 are side elevation views showing successive stages of gumming the gum plates;

' Figure 15 is a, side elevation of the gum plates with an attachment for effecting gumming between the gum plates;

Figure 16 is a, plan view of the parts shown in Figure 15;

Figure 17 is a sectional view On the line l'lll on Figure 16;

Figure 18 is a side elevation of the gum plates together with a type box attachment and inking roller therefor; and

Figure 19 is a plan view of the parts shown in Figure 18.

The machine has a frame 20 which carries a main shaft 2! on which five cams are mounted and serve to actuate respectively the gum plates, gumming roller, container support, plunger and label box.

The gum plates 23, 24', are connected integrally as shown in Figure 3, and are mounted on carrier plates 25, 26 (or may be integral therewith) 'which in turn are mounted on a block or carrier 21. This carrier is adapted to reciproc-ate front to rear of the machine on guideways 28 and are operated by one of the cams through a lever 30 mounted at 31 on the machine frame and carrying an anti-friction roller 32 which is held to the cam 33 by spring 34, the lever having a pin and slot connection at its upper end with the carrier 21.

Gum is applied to the gum plates by a summing roller 35 carried at the forward end of a pair of arms 35 which is connected by an arm 31 and spring 38 to a lever 39 that is actuated by another of the aforesaid cams. This actuation brings the roller 35 alternately down onto the gum plates and up onto a roller 48 which is rotatably mounted on a, gum box 4| and is in contact with another roller 42 the lower part of which is immersed in the gum. The rollers 48, 42 and 35 are geared to rotate together by suitable gear wheels (not shown) and are driven by a chain 44 and sprocket 45.

The label box consists of a supporting bar 58 which is carried on a vertical rod 5| to which vertical reciprocating movements are imparted by a cam through a lever 52. The bar 58 supports a pair of parallel round bars 54, 55, which carry blocks 56, 51, on which plates 58, 59 are mounted. The plates can be adjusted towards and away from each other and can be fixed in adjusted position by screws 88, SI. These plates carry vertical label holding fingers 62, 63. A pair of parallel plates 85, 68 are adiustably mounted on the rods 54, 55 and can be fixed in adjusted positions by screws 61, 68. The plates 65, 55, carry pairs of label holding fingers II, 12, and 13, H. The stack of labels are held within the fingers which are all turned slightly in at their lower ends to prevent the labels from falling out. These lower ends are received into depressions 69 in the gum plates. When the label-box, constituted essentially by these fingers, is depressed the lowest label contacts the gum and as the label box is then raised the label is drawn out of the boxbeing slightly bent in order to pass the lower turned in ends of the fingers. A follower plate 13a is placed on top of the labels and is weighted by a rod I8 the upper end of which carries a spring pressed plunger 11, engaged in a depression in aplate 13 that has an aperture through which a guide rod I5 is loosely engaged. The edges of the aperture engagethe rod 15 to prevent upward displacement of the follower plate whilst permitting its downward movement in the box. 4

The gum plates in the transfer position, as

shown in Figure 1, are located above the container 88 to be labelled which is placed on a supportin cradle 8| carried on a rod 82 adjustably attached to a vertical slide 83 which is reciprocated vertically by a cam through a lever 84 which is connected to the slide by a spring 85. Above the pressure plates are fixed resilient presser blocks 81, 88 and between them directly over the opening between the gum plates is a grip pad 98 which is carried by a vertical rod 33 the lower end of which is connected to a lever 85. actuated by one of the cams. A spring 98 urges the rod 33 upwardly.

In operation, the bottles or other containers 88 are placed successively in position and removed as the labels are applied. When a bottle is in position the gum-plates slide forward to the transfer position carrying a label as in Figure 8. The grip pad 88 now descends as shown in Figure 9 until the label contacts the bottle whereupon the grip pad 98 and the bottle 88 on its support 8|. descend together to bring the label through the gum plates.

The plates are then retracted and the bottle and grip pad move up until the label engages against the presser blocks 81, 88 whereby the label is firmly pressed into engagement with the the bottle. The gum plates are retracted to the box and then dwell in that position while the label box descends and applies a label to the gum-plates and rises again. At this time the labelled bottle is removed and another is inserted. The gum-plates then move forward to the transfer position and the operation is repeated.

If it is desired also to apply gum to the central part of the label not being touched by the two gum-plates, the attachments illustrated in Fi ures 15 to 17 are employed. A subsidiary gumplate I88 is bolted to the rear of the main gumplates 23 and this subsidiary gum-plate is gummed by the roller 35, as the plates are reciprocated beneath the roller. The label-box is given a movement downwards in addition to the downward movement of the label-box for applying a label to the gum plates to receive gum from the plate I88 while the plates 23 are in their transfer position and to prevent a label being picked off by the plate I88 there is provided a pair of fingers I8I Divotally mounted at I82 on the plate I 8| and pressed upwardsby a spring I83 so as to be normally slightly above the surface of the gum plate. Attached to the fingers IN is a horizontal plate I85 that carries a strip I86 which can be engaged by a roller I81, mounted on the spindle of the roller 35. Y During gumming the roller I81 engages the strip I 88 so as to depress the fingers I M below the upper surface of ilaloiila gum-plate to prevent gumming of the fingers Instead of providing the centre gum-plate I88 we may provide a printing attachment as shown in Figures 18 and 19. 'A type holder H8 is bolted to the rear endof the gum-plates 23 and is disposed between lines coinciding with the inner edges of these gum-plates. The gumming roller 35 is cut away at III to avoid gumming the type and an inking roller H2 is mounted on a spindle I I3 carried by the arms 36. The roller I I2 inks the type while the roller 35 gums the gum-plates. The vertical movement of the label box effects printing-on the ungummed .portion of the back 'of the label while the gum-plates are at the position-shown in Figure 12 and as it then again transfer position.

If labels are to be applied which extend around more than half of the circumference of a bottle or other round container, the pressers may be replaced by wipers consisting of plates of rubber or other flexible material secured at opposite edges and arranged to contact the bottle as the latter is moved with the label'between them.

We claim:

1. A labelling machine wherein' a pair of spaced gum plates carry the labels, one at a time, which are pressed by a grip pad down between the plates on to the container whereafter the plates are withdrawn horizontally and the container is then raised against means which press the label onto the container.

2. A labelling machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the central part of the label is pressed by the plunger into contact with the container which is supported closely adjacent to the underneath surfaces of the plates, whereupon the plunger and container descend together until the label is clear of the plates before the plates are withdrawn.

3. A labelling machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the gum-plates are integrally connected adjacent to a position at which they are attached to a reciprocating carrier.

4. A labelling machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the gum-plates reciprocate from a gumming position to a label picking off position where a label box descends while the plates remain stationary whereupon the plates are moved to the transfer position in which the label is transferred to the container.

5. A labelling machine comprising a pair of spaced gum plates, means for supplying labels, one at a time to said spaced gum plates, reciprocating means for advancing said spaced gum plates and label to a position over a container, a gripper pad for pressing said label between said spaced gum plates onto said container, presser blocks, and means for raising said container and label against said presser blocks when said spaced gum plates are withdrawn to press said label on said container.

6. A labelling machine comprising a pair of spaced gum plates, means for supplying labels, one at a time, to said spaced gum plates, means for supporting a container to be labelled, reciprocating means for advancing said spaced gum plates and label to a position closely adjacent the upper surface of said container, 2. gripper pad for pressing said label between said spaced gum plates onto said container, means for moving said gripper pad and container in a downward direction to a, position where said label is clear of said spaced gum plates, presser blocks, and means for raising said container and label against said presser blocks when said spaced gum plates are withdrawn to press said label on said container.

'7. .A labelling machine comprising a pair of spaced gum plates, means for reciprocating said spaced gum plates from a gumming position to a label picking of! position and from the label picking oii' position to a label positioning position, means for supplying a single label to the pair of spaced gum plates when said plates are stationary in the label picking position, means for supporting a container to be labelled in a position closely adjacent to the underneath surfaces of the pair of spaced gum plates when said plates are in the label positioning position, a gripper pad for pressing the label between said spaced gum plates onto said container, presser blocks, and means for raising said container and label against said presser blocks when said spaced gum plates are withdrawn to press said label on said container.

8. A labelling machine comprising a reciprocating carrier, a pair of integrally connected spaced gum plates attached to said carrier, means for supplying labels, one at a time, to said spaced gum plates, means for supporting a container to be labelled, means for reciprocating said carrier so as to position said spaced gum plates and label at a position above said container, a gripper pad for pressing said label between said spaced gum plates onto said container, presser blocks, and means for raising said container and label against said presser blocks when said carrier and spaced gum plates are withdrawn to press said label on said container.

ROBERT JOHN NEWMAN. DAVID SIDNEY FRIEND.

REFERENCES CITED The followingv references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 860,629 Bradbury July 23, 1907 2,461,295 Newman et a1. Feb. 8, 1949 

